New Year's resolutions that every mom makes... and why it's OK to break them

New year, new you

It's New Year's and it's resolution time again. As moms, we're always working to improve ourselves so that we can also improve the lives of our kids, but being realistic is key when it comes to resolutions for moms.

The reality of resolutions for moms

We broke down some common mom resolutions to make them easy for all of us to conquer this year.

I will keep the house cleaner

Raise your hand if this is on your list of New Year's resolutions... every single year. Moms, it's time to get real — if you have kids at home, your house is never going to be perfectly clean. From the sports gear dumped in the entryway to the sticky fingerprints on the stainless steel refrigerator, making a resolution to keep the house cleaner is only going to send you in circles all year. Instead, pick a couple of things to resolve to keep clean at home — to fold laundry on Fridays or to clean out one closet once a month. Specific cleaning goals will help you have resolution success.

I will make a healthy, homemade dinner every night

Less boxed macaroni and cheese and more fresh vegetables? It's on every mom's New Year's resolution list — especially after the holidays, when healthy, balanced meals may have been few and far between. If better family meals are on your resolution list, keep the pressure low by trying some simple meal planning first. Try setting a general weekly menu plan with meals that are easy and quick to make for busy weekday evenings. Spending a small amount of planning time each week will make it easier to stick to your healthier meal plan.

I will spend less time plugged in

The amount of time we spend online is a concern for this generation of moms. It's so easy to get sucked into browsing Pinterest or checking Facebook that it's likely there are many moms who are resolving to spend less time plugged in. Cut yourself some slack by admitting that you enjoy spending time online and that it can be a great way to wind down or have some "me" time. Make this an easy resolution to succeed at by giving yourself times during the day where you can jump online — first thing in the morning while your kiddos catch a cartoon or during naptime instead of doing that extra load of laundry.

I will take more pictures of my kids

When you're carrying a sippy cup, two coats, the scooter that your child decided he didn't want to ride anymore and a bag of groceries, it's nearly impossible to dig your camera out of your purse to catch a precious moment on film. Try making it a goal to take a picture each week and work your way up from there. If you don't already own one, get a phone with a great camera on it — you're sure to take more pictures with it always close by. Little ones grow so quickly, the picture you take today will become a treasure before you know it.